NBA 2024-25

Guy Chamberlin said:
Which is unacceptable in Lakers land.

Agree with this likelihood, but does that get Riddick fired like it did Ham? Do Pelinka and Jeannie Buss take the blame? Would that be the last season they bend over backwards for LeBron James? 

Would Paul George sliding over to the Lakers change the math? 
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For as storied and prestigious of a franchise as they are, the Lakers sure seem content to spend plenty of years just catering to the non-competitive 'chill vibes' of their aged superstars. 

 
Lorewarn said:
For as storied and prestigious of a franchise as they are, the Lakers sure seem content to spend plenty of years just catering to the non-competitive 'chill vibes' of their aged superstars. 
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I think it's a bit like my Warriors. The Lakers are definitely competitive, but want to believe they're not that far removed from their last championship and just need to add a couple more pieces before closing the window and totally rebuilding.  

A lot you can say about LeBron James, but being non-competitive isn't one of them. Less sure about AD, who rarely seems to be enjoying himself, even when he's healthy. 

 
Lorewarn said:
For as storied and prestigious of a franchise as they are, the Lakers sure seem content to spend plenty of years just catering to the non-competitive 'chill vibes' of their aged superstars. 
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It's Jeanie Buss who hires friends and not best available and ends up creating 'chill vibes' of mediocrity.  Dr Buss would never have let this happen, even with an aging star.

 
Madcows said:
They are contenders when healthy and with a competent coach. That was the missing piece last year, and it's a big question mark going into next season. Coaching has a huge impact in the NBA, even with star players having as much power as they do.

As for injuries, excluding last year, I think those years where AD and LBJ were on IR more than they played was lingering effects from Pelinka over-thinking the roster and putting too much on those two's shoulders and took them almost 2 years to get over it.   I'm saying if the FO/Coaching staff are competent and on the same page, with the roster they have, they are on the same level as Minny, OKC, Denver in the west.  When different agendas show up, and having Patrick Starfish be the coach, the Lakers end up in the play-in game.
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I don’t think the Lakers are that close. We’ll see what JJ does though 

 
Klay Thompson chose Dallas over the LA Lakers, LeBron and Anthony Davis  :)

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teachercd said:
That actually seems like a good deal for Dallas.  Seems like he could have got more??

Paul George just signed for 4 for 212?
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Wow, somehow ppl keep thinking Paul George is a great player.  I don't get it and never understood.

Here's something that will also blow your mind.....  NBA is 82 game regular season.  Luka and SGA will both be eligible to earn $79/$80 mil per year with their next max contract.  A cool one million dollars per game.  Wow...  The league / owners make so much money it's incredible.

 
Kinda sad, pretty much inevitable, bit of relief it wasn't the Lakers.

Turned out the market was a little soft for Klay, but until this weekend most Warriors fans didn't know that the team had done very little to sign him.

Warriors have a little money to play with now, but I don't see them making any splash in free agency. They need Kuminga to become a superstar and the other young uns to deliver while they're still affordable. I don't think that's going to cut it in the West. 

 
We'll see how Klay does in Dallas.  He was one of my favorite players pre-injury.  He looks pretty washed to me honestly (43% FG, below average defender, and can't finish at the rim anymore), but if he has a limited role with the Mavs...maybe it'll play to his strengths.

 
Whoa. The market was soft for Klay, but apparently the Lakers offered him 4 years and $80 million, with LeBron calling him first thing Sunday and making the pitch. Klay went for 3 years and $50 with the Mavericks instead.

What does that tell you about the Lakers? 

 
As @Jason Sitoke mentioned, he seems washed. As a Lakers fan, I'm glad he didn't come to LA, he would have been a waste of money and a roster spot, luckily he made it easy and went elsewhere.  As for what does that say about the Lakers?  It says he wants the most money and went to the state with better tax option. Not a secret that California is a higher tax state. He'll have at least 46 regular season games with no state tax. That was the biggest factor. He can say Dallas is on the cusp of winning, dollars to donuts they will not get as far next year. If he wanted to go to a place close to winning, look for a team that didn't make the Finals, but were close and have most of their roster under contract.  OKC is close, Minny is close and will have a better chance over Dallas.

 
Nuggets are having a pretty $hit offseason so far. Best player in the league is on their roster and they’re content to watch the team around him get worse each year. As it stands now they are the 3rd best team in their own division on paper 

 
Madcows said:
As @Jason Sitoke mentioned, he seems washed. As a Lakers fan, I'm glad he didn't come to LA, he would have been a waste of money and a roster spot, luckily he made it easy and went elsewhere.  As for what does that say about the Lakers?  It says he wants the most money and went to the state with better tax option. Not a secret that California is a higher tax state. He'll have at least 46 regular season games with no state tax. That was the biggest factor. He can say Dallas is on the cusp of winning, dollars to donuts they will not get as far next year. If he wanted to go to a place close to winning, look for a team that didn't make the Finals, but were close and have most of their roster under contract.  OKC is close, Minny is close and will have a better chance over Dallas.
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I'm no math professor, but the difference between $50 and $80 million is $30 million, and even the highest California tax bracket still has Klay leaving $20+ million on the table in order to not to play for the team both his father and LeBron were begging him to join. 

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
I'm no math professor, but the difference between $50 and $80 million is $30 million, and even the highest California tax bracket still has Klay leaving $20+ million on the table in order to not to play for the team both his father and LeBron were begging him to join. 
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That's not quite an equal comparison. Dallas is giving him 50M/3yr or $16.67M per year. Lakers were offering 80M/4yr or $20M a year. I've not broken down the state taxes for those two states to know what the difference in net will be over those three years, but it's not as wide of a gap as you stating. Not sure if Klay plans on another contract after this, when it already appears he's washed. 

 
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